The central theme of this program project is the processes by which infectious agents, like coxsackie and influenza viruses, engage the innate immune system to influence the expansion and survival of adaptive immune effector cells. Of particular interest is the interface between innate and adaptive immune responses. Each of the projects in this program will utilize virus infection models to study the generation of innate and adaptive immunity to pathogens. Since the investigators in the various projects will perform experiments collaboratively in an environment that encourages open discussion and comparison of data between each of the groups, it is essential that each of the projects use the same stocks of virus so that infections are uniform and reproducible in each experiment. Similarly, each of the projects in this program will utilize shared recombinant cytokines, and will require molecular constructs to be generated and validated for the purpose of generating transgenic mice or protein expression vectors. In order to ensure reproducibility of results between projects, the core will generate, validate and maintain the reagents that will be used by each project, as well as oversee the IMPACT testing required prior to in vivo use of the virus and recombinant cytokine stocks. The overall goal of this core is to provide program investigators with well-characterized reagents to ensure reproducibility of results between projects, as well as provide principal investigators with cost effective bulk reagent production and molecular cloning expertise. Thus, core B will promote synergy and cooperation between program projects, and accelerate the pace of research by relieving the burden of shared reagent production and validation of the molecular constructs from each of the projects.